• THERESA MAE DULMAN
Environment advocates urged the city government for their inclusion in Bacolod’s Waste-to-Energy Technical Working Group and within the Solid Waste Management Board.
The Negrosanon Initiative for Climate and the Environment (NICE) noted that the specific committee responsible for technical evaluations currently lacks a local environmental voice.
During the public consultation with the city government, NICE expressed support for the city’s efforts to address long-standing garbage challenges, and the group emphasized the need for a non-thermal approach to energy recovery.
Joshua Villalobos, Secretary General of NICE, clarified the organization’s position, stating that their primary concern lies with technologies that involve thermal processing, citing potential risks to public health and the environment.
“We would like to suggest to the city to create a provision considering only technologies with clear regulatory guidelines and align with global environmental health standards,” Villalobos said.
The WTE project is a partnership between the city government and the Department of Energy.
Under it, a proposed Bacolod Integrated Recycling Technology Hub will be constructed on the 25.7-hectare site in Barangay Felisa, adjacent to the existing 5-hectare sanitary landfill.
Meanwhile, Mayor Greg Gasataya encouraged community involvement by assuring the public that every suggestion would be carefully heard and considered during the planning of the city’s waste management program.*
